Amid growing concerns about the shrinking space for civic rights in Bangladesh, VOICE, a research-based advocacy organization, released a comprehensive media monitoring report on 30 December 2025 documenting violations that occurred between October 2024 and December 2025. The report records a total of 224 incidents, highlighting widespread violence, gender disinformation, and attacks on freedom of expression across the country.

The report was officially launched at a dissemination event held at the NGO Forum for Public Health in the capital. The event brought together prominent journalists, civil society leaders, legal experts, academics, and human rights advocates. The gathering served as a platform to reflect on the findings and discuss the broader implications for civic participation and democratic space in Bangladesh.

During the panel discussion, speakers expressed serious concern over the increasing prevalence of mob violence, fabricated legal cases filed against journalists, restrictions on cultural expression, and rising incidents of online harassment. Particular attention was given to the growing trend of gender disinformation and targeted attacks on marginalized communities. Participants noted that writers, poets, Bauls, cultural practitioners, and human rights defenders are increasingly facing intimidation and assaults, both online and offline. The discussion underscored what many described as a troubling decline in freedom of expression and civic engagement.

Musharrat Mahera, Deputy Director (Programmes) of VOICE, emphasized the dangerous link between online abuse and real-world threats, particularly for women and gender-diverse activists. She warned that false or misleading content targeting individuals based on gender identity has become a serious and escalating problem. According to her, such gender-based intimidation fosters fear, self-censorship, social exclusion, and withdrawal from public life. Gender and media researcher Afroja Shoma observed that Bangladesh is currently experiencing an increasingly turbulent period where expressing opinions has become fraught with risk. She highlighted the importance of systematic monitoring initiatives, noting that clearly outlining the methodology and rationale behind data collection would enhance the report’s credibility and ensure its future recognition as a reliable reference document.

Addressing the issue of gender disinformation, Nadira Pervin, Programme Manager at Nagorik Uddyog, stressed the need for stronger strategic collaboration between the state and major technology platforms such as Facebook and TikTok. She called for timely identification and removal of harmful content that humiliates individuals and communities based on gender identity, class, caste, or cultural background.

Human rights analyst Monjur Rashid reflected on the dual nature of digitization, acknowledging that while it presents significant opportunities, it also carries substantial risks. He emphasized the importance of fostering a digital environment that protects rights and encourages open dialogue. Breaking the prevailing culture of silence, he argued, is essential to addressing ongoing violations in both digital and civic spaces.

Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, Executive Director of VOICE, underscored the need to recognize gender disinformation and online gender-based violence as serious threats to civic participation. He advocated for laws aligned with international human rights standards, alongside nationwide efforts to strengthen digital literacy and civic education, particularly at the grassroots level.

Drawing on systematic monitoring of leading newspapers, television channels, and their social media platforms, the report documents numerous cases of violence against journalists and human rights defenders. Collectively, the findings point to a disturbing erosion of fundamental rights, including freedom of speech, expression, assembly, and association, and call for urgent and coordinated action to safeguard civic space in Bangladesh.